a new day/ creative process

I am creating this blog to follow my creative process. My aim/goal is to develop a cook book that will appeal to the likes and tastes of parents and their children. I will blog about my progress and process. This is part two of a visual diary, part one is my sketch book adapted from my years in Art School.

I am not a professional chef nor am I an author. What I am is a mother who loves to cook, loves food and loves creating interesting and inspired meals for my family. As babies my children ate most things we put in front of them, curries, dal, raita, most combinations of beans and rice was in general a hit. Tacos, fish, olives, pickles, noodles, fresh vegetables, fruit and the list goes on. Now as they have become toddlers and have developed a sense of self, awareness and stubbornness they have also become picky eaters. For my husband and I this is most troubling, we love food and for all its nuances, tastes, and textures. We appreciate the way a meal can satiate your palate, mind, and belly. We feel a strong connection to our food, the table, community, agriculture, culture and art. Now, my job as cook is to find things that they will eat, that will balance their nutritional needs, satisfy their developing taste buds, encourage new culinary tastes plus feed my husband and self. And this is why I am doing this, I have found that most children's cookbooks that I have looked at, browsed or purchased are books for children written in the language that adults use but dumbed down so that they appeal to children, all in all I have been disappointed. I want to create a cookbook for families, inspired by my family and friends.